Oral cavity or oropharyngeal cancer is one of the several types of cancer under the head and neck category. As a dentist in Sterling Heights Michigan, Dr. Fadi Farhat offers the following oral cancer statistics. As with any serious health challenge, keeping informed about oral cancer is the first step to prevention and early detection.

For the year 2017, approximately 49,670 people in the U.S. are expected to develop oropharyngeal or oral cancer. From this amount, the expected fatality is 9,700. In 2014 in the U.K., 11,449 cases of cancer concerning the neck and head area were reported. Meanwhile, 2,386 people died from oral cancer during that year.

In 2012, over 300,000 people were diagnosed with cancers involving the oral cavities and lip.

Although it is still a significant amount, studies indicate the death rate has been slowly decreasing over the past three decades.

According to experts, the high death rate is not because the cancer is difficult to diagnose but because the condition is diagnosed during the late stages.

Men are twice more likely to develop this cancer than women.

The likelihood of developing oral cancer is the same for both blacks and whites. However, the rates still vary from one country to another. For instance, the risk of developing oral cancer is higher in the U.S. as compared to Japan and Mexico but lower than in France or Hungary.

The average age of people diagnosed with this type of cancer is 62. However, it is not rare to find young people with this condition. Approximately a quarter of the people with oral cancer are under the age of 55.

At least 75 percent of people diagnosed with cancer are tobacco users. However, studies also show that it takes several decades of tobacco use to develop cancer.

Individuals who are diagnosed with this form of cancer are more prone to developing cancers in nearby areas. This includes the larynx, the esophagus and the lung. Even individuals who are cleared from oral cancer can still develop cancers in other areas. Because of this, patients need to undergo regular follow-up examinations with their doctor for the rest of their lives.